Arthur Lambert

 Subject Name:    Arthur Lambert (b 1830 – d 1905)                 

Researcher:      Jean Libaert

MEMBER  OF THE GUILDFORD UNION BOARD OF GUARDIANS FOR OCKHAM
April 1860 – April 1884

VICE CHAIRMAN OF GUILDFORD UNION BOARD OF GUARDIANS
April 1876 – April 1884

DIVISIONS IN THE BOARD OF GUARDIANS

Tenant farmer Arthur Lambert became a member of the Guildford Union Board of Guardians in 1860, representing the parish of Ockham, when he was 29 years old.   He served for 24 years, including the last eight years as Vice-Chairman. He was not afraid to speak out, which led to disagreements within the Board and even a threat of legal action.  His resignation was brought about by ‘trouble that had come upon him’, an undocumented mysterious change in his circumstances.  His difficulties saw him leave his Ockham Park farm and change career to become a Highway Surveyor.

Ockham born and bred

Arthur Lambert was born in Ockham and baptised at the village church on 25th November 1830 1, 2.  His parents were local farmer Arthur and Anne (neé Eager) Lambert from Send, who had married in Ockham in January 1828 3.

The 1841 Census showed Arthur living with his
parents and six siblings at Bridgefoot Farm, Ockham 4.

Just two months later, in August 1841, Arthur’s mother Anne died aged 38 of scarlet fever, one week after she had given birth to twins 5. Only one twin survived, and a month after that, Arthur’s youngest sister also died of scarlet fever, aged 2 6. 

Arthur senior did not re-marry.  He was clearly doing well, though, having been a tenant farmer at Bridgefoot Farm since around 1816 7.  In 1851, the 350-acre farm was employing 25 labourers, with 20-year-old Arthur junior listed as ‘farmer’s son’ 8

Marriage and his own farm

Arthur junior married Rebecca Symonds on 20th October 1859 in Reigate 9.  Rebecca had been born in Highgate, Middlesex, in 1833, and was the daughter of a retired butcher 10. 

The couple had nine children between 1860 and 1873, all baptised at Ockham Church where Arthur became a church warden 11, 12.  

The 1861 Census confirmed that Arthur had followed in his father’s footsteps and was now a ‘farmer of 250 acres employing 9 men & 2 boys’, at Guileshill Farm in Ockham 13.  Like his father, he was a ratepayer by virtue of ‘occupation of house and land’ and was not the owner 14.

Guileshill Farm was on the south side of Ockham Park, and his father’s Bridgefoot Farm was on the north.  Both farms belonged to the Ockham Park Estate 16   which was owned by the Earl of Lovelace.  He had lived on the Estate from the late 1830s to about 1845 with his wife Ada Lovelace, daughter of poet Lord Byron and pioneering mathematician considered to be the world’s first computer programmer 15.  

After Arthur’s father died in 1869, the will showed that he had already advanced the sum of £600 to his son Arthur, so this amount was to be removed from his son’s share of the estate 17.  Perhaps this money had been used to set Arthur and Rebecca up at Guileshill Farm as their marital home?  Arthur’s brother Walter took over their father’s Bridgefoot Farm 18.

Arthur’s domestic situation was very much the same in 1871, living with his family at Guileshill Farm, employing ten men and four boys, reduced slightly by 1881 to eight men and one boy 19, 20.

Guildford Union Board of Guardians representing Ockham

21 years earlier, just after his marriage, Arthur had been elected in April 1860 to the Guildford Union Board of Guardians for the parish of Ockham 21.

Under the 1834 Poor Law Act, Guardians were elected by the owners and occupiers of rateable properties in the parish 22.  A Guardian had to be a landowner, or occupied property to the rateable value of at least £25 per year, which was how Arthur qualified.  They were elected to serve a one-year term from Lady Day (25th March).

Arthur was an active Guardian.  From 1871, he served on the Assessment Committee, which set local rates, becoming Chairman in 1877 23, 24.  He was a member of the School Attendance Committee from its inception in 1877 25, 26.  As a Guardian, he was also on the Guildford Rural Sanitary Authority, which was responsible for providing public health services outside of Guildford town 27.

In the previous year’s election of the Board, the question of a second Vice-Chairman was raised by the Guardian for Stoke Urban, Mr Ichet 28.  A second Vice-Chairman had served in previous years, and although no one had been elected for 1875, Mr Ichet proposed Arthur for the position.  Arthur initially demurred, and the Board discussed whether a second Vice-Chairman was indeed necessary.  The Guardian for Stoke Rural, Aaron Wells, thought there was a need as ‘occasionally the Board was divided into two and sat in different rooms’. Arthur yielded and became Vice-Chairman.

A spat leads to legal threats

Aaron Wells and Arthur Lambert took part in a highly fractious and divided meeting of the Guildford Rural Sanitary Authority, which was made up of members of the Guildford Board of Guardians,  on 7th April 1883 which ended with a threatened legal action against them 29.   

The trouble began with a complaint against the Sanitary Inspector, Mr Rees, about how he disinfected certain homes after two outbreaks of scarlet fever at Ripley.  Arthur questioned Mr Rees about the disinfecting, which had caused such a stench in one house that all the windows and doors had had to be opened, and had possibly made one of the children living there seriously ill.  The Board decided that because the Medical Officer Mr Smith had not reported the child’s illness, the matter would be dropped.

Mr Smith and Mr Rees did not escape Arthur’s clutches, however, as the next item on the agenda was a disputed 25% salary increase for the Medical Officer of Health, Mr Smith, and for the Sanitary Inspector, Mr Rees. The rises had been given without seeking prior approval from the Local Government Board, which was against the rules, and had not been authorised or apparently fully discussed by a majority of Board of Guardian/Sanitary Authority members. Aaron Wells proposed that the decisions be rescinded and re-discussed, supported by Arthur.

The Chairman of the Board of Guardians and the Rural Sanitary Authority, EJ Halsey, held his hands up and admitted he had made an error in agreeing the pay increase without referral.  He noted that there was a strong feeling within the Authority that no increase should be made, and so proposed that the two Officers be re-appointed at their original salary. 

Vice-Chairman Arthur then launched an attack against his Chairman Mr Halsey, who he felt had allowed his ‘zeal to carry away his usual discretion’, and also against Mr Smith and Mr Rees, remarking that he believed they ‘had not performed their duties in such an exemplary manner’.   The Committee was divided, with some members showing strong support for Mr Halsey over what they called a ‘censure’ of the Chairman, while others supported Arthur and Aaron Wells.

Arthur went on to claim that he had caught Mr Smith listening at the keyhole at the previous Board of Guardians meeting when salary increases had been discussed.  This was backed up by Aaron Wells, alluding ‘to the fact that every word in that committee was soon known in the town’. This serious charge was put to Mr Smith who denied it, giving the explanation that he was about to enter the room to collect his coat and hat as it was a cold day.  

The meeting was finally brought to a close, but that was not the end of the matter, as Mr Smith threatened legal action against Arthur and Aaron ‘unless they apologise and withdraw the language they used’ 30.  

No follow up on any legal action has been found, and despite what had gone on in that meeting, the following month Arthur was re-elected as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Guardians for 1883/4 31.

Undisclosed ‘trouble’ leads to Arthur’s resignation

After eight years in the role as Vice-Chairman, Arthur resigned in April 1884 for undisclosed reasons described only as ‘trouble that had come upon him’ and with which the Board ‘deeply sympathised’ 32.

In a letter to the Board, Arthur thanked them ‘for their  resolution of sympathy accorded him in his misfortune’ 33.  The newspapers did not report what Arthur’s ‘misfortune’ was, and neither is it recorded in the Minute Book or other records available 34.   

Significantly, in mid-March, just before his resignation, Arthur had narrowly been appointed as Surveyor to the Godalming Highways Board, at a salary of £125 per year 35.  His selection had been reliant on the casting vote of the Chairman, Captain Ramsden, who would go on to take over the Chairmanship of the Guildford Board of Guardians from EJ Halsey a couple of months later 36.

Godalming

Arthur and his family moved from Guileshill Farm to Godalming in Spring 1884 37.  They initially lived in Ockford Road and then from around 1888 at Taminick Lodge, Meadrow, Farncombe, where he spent the rest of his life, continuing as the District Highway Surveyor  38. 

In 1891, Arthur and his wife had three unmarried daughters living with them, all of whom were governesses, and were employing two live-in servants 39.  Ten years on and little had changed for 70-year-old Arthur and his wife, but now with two governess daughters at home and one servant 40.

Arthur continued to work as a surveyor until 1903, when he was thrown from his trap and broke his leg, leaving him with some lameness 41.  He died at his Taminick Lodge home from cancer on 11th September 1905, aged 74 42. 

His newspaper obituary called him ‘a most useful and respected public servant’, recognising his service on the Board of Guardians, membership of the Conservative Godalming Constitutional Club, and being a ‘staunch churchman’.  He was a man of modest means when he passed away, leaving just £52 to his widow Rebecca, worth less than £5,500 as at February 2025 43, 44.

Arthur was buried at Nightingale Cemetery, Godalming, in the same plot as his daughter Ellen who had died in 1889 45, 46.  Arthur’s wife Rebecca died in 1913 in Eastbourne, and was also buried in the same plot 47.

 

April 2025
Editor: Carol Thompson

Spike Lives is a Heritage project that chronicles the lives of inmates, staff and the Board of Guardians of the Guildford Union Workhouse at the time of the 1881 Census.  The Spike Heritage Museum in Guildford offers guided tours which present a unique opportunity to discover what life was like in the Casual/Vagrant ward of a Workhouse. More information can be found here

References

Note: the source for online records is Ancestry.co.uk unless otherwise specified.

  1. Ockham Church, south side, 1823 watercolour by John Hassell Surrey History Centre, Woking; ref 4348/3/83/3 org.uk
  2. Arthur Lambert 25 Nov 1830 baptism Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Ockham, All Saints; ref OCK/1/1/6
  3. Arthur Lambert & Ann Eager 12 Jan 1828 marriage bond London and Surrey Marriage Bonds and Allegations 1597-1921; Guildford; ref DW/MP/227/001
    Arthur Lambert & Ann Eager 17 Jan 1828 marriage Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Send, St Mary; ref Sen/2/6
  4. Arthur, Anne, Elizabeth, Arthur, Susanna, Walter, Sarah, Ellen, Margaret 1841 England Census for Bridgefoot Farm, Ockham, Surrey; Class HO107; Piece 1080; Book 14; Folio 2; Page 8
    Elizabeth Ann Lambert 10 Mar 1829 baptism; 24 Dec 1828 birth
    Mary Susannah Lambert 26 Sep 1832 baptism; 29 May 1832 birth
    Walter Lambert 18 Dec 1833 baptism; 27 Oct 1833 birth
    Sarah Lambert 2 Sep 1835 baptism; 14 May 1835 birth
    Helen Lambert 7 Dec 1836 baptism
    Margaret Lambert 13 Dec 1838 baptism; 16 Oct 1838 birth
    Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Ockham, All Saints; ref OCK/1/1/6
  5. Ann Lambert 13 Aug 1841 burial ‘died of Scarlatina 1 week after childbirth of twins – one surviving’ Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Ockham, All Saints; ref OCK/1/1/8
    William Lambert 15 Aug 1841 baptism; 1 Aug 1841 birth ‘one of twins’ Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Ockham, All Saints; ref OCK/1/1/6
  6. Margaret Lambert 8 Sep 1841 burial Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Ockham, All Saints; ref OCK/1/1/8
    Margaret Lambert 3 Sep 1841 England & Wales Civil Registration of Deaths; Guildford, Surrey; vol 04; page 113 Digital copy from GRO.gov.uk
  7. Arthur Lambert 1816-1819 Surrey History Centre, Woking; Jury-Qualified Freeholders and Copyholders 1814-1819; Ockham; ref QS3/10A/8
    Arthur Lambert 1816 occupier, Bridgefoot Farm Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Land Tax Records; ref 992284
  8. Arthur, Arthur, Mary S, Walter, William Lambert 1851 England Census for Bridgefoot Farm, Ockham, Surrey; Class HO107; Piece 1594; Folio 226; Page 9
  9. Arthur Lambert & Rebecca Symonds 20 Oct 1859 marriage Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Reigate, St Mary; ref P49/1/17
    Lambert-Symonds 25 Oct 1859 Sussex Advertiser & Surrey Gazette, page 6 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  10. Rebecca Symonds 23 Jun 1833 baptism London Metropolitan Archives; London Church of England Parish Registers; Highgate, St Michael, ref P90/Mic1/005
    Henry, Sarah, Rebecca Symonds 1851 England Census for Reigate, Surrey; Class HO107; Piece 1599; Folio 242; Page 35
  11. Sarah Frances Lambert 19 Aug 1860 baptism
    Mary Elizabeth Lambert 19 Jul 1862 baptism
    Arthur William Lambert 13 Sep 1863 baptism
    Ann Rebecca Lambert 14 Apr 1865 baptism
    Henry Simmons sic Lambert 16 Sep 1866 baptism
    Margaret Lambert 23 Feb 1868 baptism
    Frank Lambert 12 Sep 1869 baptism
    Ellen Lambert 13 Jul 1873 baptism
    Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; Ockham, All Saints; ref OCK/1/1/7 and OCK/1/1/9
    Edward Edger sic Lambert Jan-Feb-Mar 1871 England & Wales Civil Registration of Births; Guildford, Surrey; vol 2A; page 58
  12. Ockham Vestry Meeting 4 Apr 1874 Surrey Advertiser and County Times, page 5 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  13. Arthur, Rebecca, Sarah F Lambert 1861 England Census for Guiles Hill Farm, Ockham, Surrey; Class RG9; Piece 425; Folio 172; Page 9
  14. Arthur Lambert the Younger 1861-62 Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Electoral Registers; Ockham, Giules Hill, page 281
  15. The Ockham Park Estate, Surrey 1958 sales particulars The National Archives, Kew; ref SA02074; discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk
  16. Ada Lovelace Wikipedia.org
    Ockham Park Wikipedia.org
    Ada Lovelace The World’s First Computer Programmer exploringsurreyspast.org.uk
  17. Arthur Lambert 31 Dec 1869 death; 27 Jun 1870 probate Principal Probate Registry, London; Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England Digital copy of the will from probatesearch.service.gov.uk
  18. Walter, Sarah Lambert 1871 England Census for Bridgefoot Farm, Ockham, Surrey; Class RG10; Piece 809; Folio 49; Page 4
  19. Arthur, Rebecca, Sarah Frances, Mary Elizabeth, Arthur William, Ann Rebecca, Henry Symonds, Margaret, Frank, Edward Eager Lambert 1871 England Census for Guiles Hill Farm, Ockham, Surrey; Class RG10; Piece 809; Folio 50; Page 5
  20. Arthur, Rebecca, Sarah F, Mary E, Ann R, Henry S, Margaret, Frank, Edward E, Ellen Lambert 1881 England Census for Guiles Hill Farm, Ockham, Surrey; Class RG11; Piece 774; Folio 54; Page 4
  21. Guildford Union West Surrey Times, 14 Apr 1860, page 2 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  22. Poor Law and Workhouse Administration and Staff, Union Administration, The Board of Guardians Workhouses.org.uk
    Board of Guardians Wikipedia.org
  23. The Assessment Committee 29 April 1871 West Surrey Times, page 2 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  24. Arthur Lambert 26 May 1877 Surrey Advertiser & County Times, page 2 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  25. Guildford Union School Attendance Committee 8 Dec 1877 Surrey Advertiser and County Times, page 5 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  26. Guildford Poor Law Conference, The Guardians and Education 3 Nov 1877 Surrey Advertiser and County Times, page 2 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  27. The Guildford Union Rural Sanitary Authority 3 Dec 1872 Epsom Journal, page 2 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  28. Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman 22 April 1876 Surrey Advertiser and County Times, page 5 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  29. Rural Sanitary Authority, Notification of Infectious Disease; Complaint Against the Sanitary Inspector; Medical Officer’s Salary-A Curious Charge of Eaves-Dropping 9 Apr 1883 page 3 & 14 Apr 1883 2 Surrey Advertiser and County Times, page 3 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  30. The Allegations Against Dr Smith 14 Apr 1883 West Surrey Times, page 4 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
    To the Editor of the Surrey Advertiser 16 Apr 1883 Surrey Advertiser & County Times; page 3 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  31. Board of Guardians Election of Officers 5 May 1883 West Surrey Times, page 8 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  32. Board of Guardians 19 April 1884 West Surrey Times, page 5 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  33. Board of Guardians 28 April 1884 Surrey Advertiser & County Times; page 3 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  34. Guildford Union Board of Guardians Minute Book Oct 1883-Dec 1886; BG6/11/21 Available at Surrey History Centre, Woking Surreycc.gov.uk
  35. Godalming, Highway Board, Election of Surveyor 18 March 1884 The Epsom Journal; page 3 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  36. Board of Guardians 28 April 1884 Surrey Mirror & General County Advertiser; page 6 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  37. Godalming Highway Board 28 June 1884 West Surrey Times; page 4 Arthur Lambert, District Surveyor, Ockford Rd British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  38. Arthur Lambert 1888 Surrey History Centre; Woking; Surrey Electoral Registers; Meadrow, Godalming; ref QS6/7A/138
  39. Arthur, Rebecca, Sarah F, Ann R, Margaret Lambert 1891 England Census for Taminick Lodge, Mead Row, Farncombe, Surrey; Class RG12; Piece 561; Folio 58; Page 8
  40. Arthur, Rebecca, Sarah F, Margaret Lambert 1901 England Census for Taminick Lodge, Mead Row, Farncombe, Surrey; Class RG13; Piece 606; Folio 71; Page 42
  41. Deaths Lambert 16 Sep 1905 Surrey Advertiser & County Times; First Edition; page 1 British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
    Death of Mr Arthur Lambert 16 Sep 1905 Surrey Advertiser & County Times; page 12 Newspapers.com / Ancestry.com
  42. Arthur Lambert 11 Sep 1905 England & Wales Civil Registration Death Index; Guildford, Surrey; vol 2A; page 64 Digital copy from General Register Office GRO.gov.uk
  43. Arthur Lambert 10 Oct 1905 Principal Probate Registry, London; Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England
  44. Bank of England Inflation Calculator on 7 Apr 2025, goods and services costing £52 in 1905 would cost £5,367.29 in Feb 2025 BankofEngland.co.uk
  45. Arthur Lambert Burial 14 Sep 1905, Nightingale & Eashing Cemetery Burial Records; Book N5, Page 25, Entry 4351, Plot 1897 Godalming Town Council godalming-tc.gov.uk/burial-records
  46. Ellen Lambert Burial 26 Dec 1889, Nightingale & Eashing Cemetery Burial Records; Book N3, Page 44, Entry 2917, Plot 1897 Godalming Town Council godalming-tc.gov.uk/burial-records
  47. Rebecca Lambert Burial 5 Nov 1913, Nightingale & Eashing Cemetery Burial Records; Book N6, Page 23, Entry 4740, Plot 1897 Godalming Town Council godalming-tc.gov.uk/burial-records